| Real Madrid vs Deportiva | |
| MATCH | Club Friendlies |
| DATE | 13 - 08 - 2026 |
| TIME | 12.30 AM IST |
| STADIUM | Stadium |
Deportivo La Coruña vs Real Madrid Preview: Mourinho’s Madrid Continue La Liga Preparations
Deportivo La Coruña will complete their pre-season preparations with a glamour friendly against Real Madrid as the newly promoted side welcome Los Blancos to Riazor.
The match marks Deportivo’s final test before their return to La Liga, while Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid continue building towards the start of the 2026-27 campaign.
Deportivo back in La Liga after long road back
Deportivo secured automatic promotion by finishing second in last season’s Segunda Division, ending an eight-year absence from Spain’s top flight.
The Blue and Whites have endured a difficult period, spending four of the last six seasons in the third tier, but the historic club is now preparing for a long-awaited return to La Liga.
Antonio Hidalgo’s side have enjoyed a positive pre-season overall, recording three wins and three draws from six matches. Their latest outing brought an encouraging 1-0 victory over Genoa, while they have also held St. Pauli and Fiorentina during the summer.
Deportivo will begin their league campaign against Elche on August 17, making this their final opportunity to fine-tune a squad that has undergone significant changes.
The club have been active in the transfer market, with seven new arrivals and six departures, giving the team a noticeably fresh look ahead of the new season.
Real Madrid adapting to Mourinho’s second spell
Real Madrid have played three pre-season matches so far and remain unbeaten under Jose Mourinho.
Los Blancos opened with a 4-1 win over Leganes, drew 2-2 with Fiorentina, and then defeated Ferencvaros 2-1 in their most recent outing.
They still have friendlies against Deportivo and Schalke before opening their La Liga campaign away to Espanyol on August 22.
Madrid have been one of the busiest clubs in the summer window, adding Yan Diomande, Marc Cucurella, Carlos Espi, Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate and Bernardo Silva to their squad.
The club have also secured the long-term future of Vinicius Junior, who had been linked with a move away from the Bernabeu.
After finishing second behind Barcelona last season, Real Madrid will be aiming to reclaim the league title, and much of the attention is focused on how Mourinho’s second spell in charge develops.
Team news
Deportivo are expected to start experienced striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who arrived this summer and is set to lead the attack.
New goalkeeper Leo Roman should feature between the posts, while defender Arnau Comas is likely to start at the back.
However, talented winger David Mella remains unavailable through injury.
Real Madrid continue to manage several absentees. Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao, Ferland Mendy, Raul Asencio and Rodrygo are all sidelined, while Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, Aurelien Tchouameni, Marc Cucurella and Ibrahima Konate are not expected to be involved after only recently returning to training.
New signing Yan Diomande could make his debut from the bench, while Endrick is expected to start up front and Vinicius Junior may be included from the beginning after appearing as a substitute against Ferencvaros.
Match prediction
Deportivo have looked organised and competitive throughout pre-season, and the atmosphere at Riazor should make this a useful test for Real Madrid.
However, even with several stars unavailable, Los Blancos still possess significantly greater quality in attack and midfield.
Mourinho’s side may not be at full strength yet, but their unbeaten pre-season suggests they are progressing well.
Prediction: Deportivo La Coruña 1-3 Real Madrid
Deportivo should make the contest competitive and could find the net through Aubameyang or one of their creative forwards, but Real Madrid’s superior depth and attacking talent are expected to prove decisive in the final stages.
